For Immediate Release

The Trump administration is proposinga 5-year planthat wouldexpand offshore oiland gasdrilling to the Atlantic Coast and Arctic Ocean. President Trump’sproposalwould replace former President Barack Obama’s 5-year plan, which blocked oiland gaslease sales in these areas.The Atlantic Oceanisthe only habitat for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.The Arctic Ocean is vital habitat for walrusesandthreatenedpolar bears already suffering from the impacts of climate change.

“Offshore drilling is a dirty business.This proposalincreases the risk of losingpolar bears, walrus, North Atlantic right whales, sea turtles and other vulnerable speciesto a catastrophic oil spill.But even when there is no major catastrophe,marinewildlife is devastated by routine spills, air pollution, seismic blastingand other fallout fromindustrial oiland gasdevelopment in our oceans.Our natural heritage is not President Trump’s to plunder,andwe will fight this recklessproposalin the courts and on Capitol Hill.”

Background:

Both the Atlantic Coast and the Arctic waters north of Alaska include fragile habitats for birds, marine mammals and fish.

In December 2016, President Obama foreclosed new offshore drilling in parts of federal waters off the Atlantic Coast and in the Arctic Ocean. Trump’s proposal seeks to do away with Obama’s mandate in the new five-year plan.

The Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill in the Gulf Coast unleashed over 200 million gallons of oil into the ocean and killed countless numbers of seabirds, sea turtles, marine mammals and other wildlife. Longer-term, the spill has had serious consequences for fish reproduction, as research has shown that larval fish exposed to crude oil fail to develop properly. The spill damaged thousands of miles of coastline that hundreds of bird species depend on for nesting and migratory stopover habitat, and a study has shown that oil-exposed dolphins are more susceptible to infections.

The Exxon Valdez oil spill dumped 11 million gallons of oil into the Prince William Sound and killed between 1,000 and 2,800 sea otters, at least 300 harbor seals, 22 orca whales and as many as a quarter of a million sea birds. Thousands of gallons of oil from the disaster remain just below the surface of Prince William Sound’s beaches.

Shell’s botched drilling attempt in the Arctic Ocean:

In late 2012, the Kulluk, Shell Oil’s Arctic drilling ship on its way to Seattle for repairs, broke away from its towing vessel and was set adrift. All crew members had to be evacuated. Attempts at recapturing the ship failed, and it eventually ran aground on a small island off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska, on New Year’s Eve. The event demonstrated that even the most state-of-the-art technology was no match for the harsh conditions of winter in the Arctic Ocean.

The conditions of the Arctic Ocean would make fighting an oil spill all but impossible. From sea ice, 60-mile-per-hour winds and forty-foot ocean swells to the near-total absence of oil spill response infrastructure and capacity in the region, the risks to people, wildlife and the environment are incredibly high. The Administration’s plan ignores these realities and puts people and wildlife at unnecessary risk.

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With over 1.8 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit Newsroom.Defenders.org and follow us on Twitter @DefendersNews.